Electronic equipment comprising a retractable screen

ABSTRACT

This electronic equipment comprises a housing which is formed by two housing parts of which one ( 15 ) is integral with a retractable screen ( 10 ) which may take up a first position called closed position and a second position called open position which permits to see the whole screen. In the closed position one part of the screen remains visible and the other part of the screen is hidden in a second part of the housing ( 5 ). This second housing part supports other elements of the equipment, for example, microphone ( 2 ), keyboard ( 1 ) etc.

[0001] The invention relates to electronic equipment comprising ahousing formed by at least two housing parts of which one called screenpart is integral with a retractable screen which may take up a firstposition called closed position and a second position called openposition relative to a part called fixed part.

[0002] The invention finds applications with particular advantage whennotably the equipment is of the radiotelephony type.

[0003] Actually, this type of equipment is bound to have uses whichimply the visualization of many data and, moreover, one wishes that itscumbersomeness remains limited.

[0004] A device of this type is known from patent document GB 2 334 301.In this device one of its parts on which among other things the keypadis disposed gives a complete blocking of the screen so as to protect itso that the device stops operating.

[0005] The invention proposes a device of the type defined in theopening paragraph which offers other functionalities and those of thecited prior art.

[0006] Such a device is characterized in that in the closed position thefixed part partly masks the screen.

[0007] Thus, by the measure in accordance with the invention the user,for example, in the case when the device is a mobile telephone, has thechoice between two modes of operation corresponding to these twopositions. When the device is in the closed position, the device behaveslike a normal device and can receive calls. For controlling same, theuser utilizes the visible part of the screen which may then give thename of the caller or the type of call (short messages or others). Whenthe device is in open position, the user can see images or informationsuch as those or that sent by the WAP system.

[0008] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from andwill be elucidated, by way of non-limitative example, with reference tothe embodiment(s) described hereinafter.

[0009] In the drawings:

[0010]FIG. 1 shows an electronic device in accordance with the inventionwith the screen in open position,

[0011]FIG. 2 shows an electronic device in accordance with the inventionwith the screen in closed position,

[0012]FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the device,

[0013]FIG. 4 shows still in an exploded view a detail of an embodimentof the device in accordance with the invention and

[0014]FIG. 5 shows how the open and closed positions are detected,

[0015]FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of a device in accordance withthe invention in exploded view,

[0016]FIG. 7 shows the operation of this second embodiment,

[0017]FIG. 8 shows the latches utilized in this second embodiment, and

[0018]FIG. 9 shows how the electric connections are realized by thissecond embodiment.

[0019]FIG. 1 shows a device in accordance with the invention. Thisdevice comprises a keypad 1, a microphone 2 disposed on a first part ofthe housing 5. The device further includes a screen 10, a loudspeaker 12and an antenna 13 mounted on another part of the housing 15. This part15 can slide relative to part 5 until it comes to the position calledclosed position shown in FIG. 2, by leaving the position called openposition shown in this FIG. 1.

[0020] In this FIG. 2 and the following Figures, like elements to thoseof FIG. 1 carry like references.

[0021] In accordance with the invention, in closed position part of thescreen 20 a remains visible. Thus, the screen is divided into two parts20 a and 20 b. The part 20 a is always visible whatever the position ofthe screen and the part 20 b is combined with the part 20 a to show acomplete screen to the user to be able, for example, to visualize WAPimages (similar system to Internet, but adapted to portable telephones)or others. The arrows F1 and F2 show in what direction part 15 is to bemoved to come to the closed or open position respectively. A recess 30has been made in the part 5 so as to make the screen part 20 a visiblein closed position.

[0022]FIG. 3 gives an exploded view of the device in accordance with theinvention. The housing part 5 is broken down into a front face 50 onwhich the keys of the keypad 1 are placed. It is on this front face thatthe recess 30 is provided. This part 5 also includes a housing body 60to the back of which a printed circuit 70 is attached and a cover 80which may contain an accumulator for supplying power to the device. Onits front are disposed slides 85 and 86 for the part 15. A rack 87 isalso placed with a profile that permits to obtain hard points. In thisrack can be moved a spring system 88. This system is formed by a striphaving a form of a pin presenting protuberances 89 and 90 which fit inrecesses 91 and 92 for the open position and 93 and 94 for the closedposition by thus providing said hard points.

[0023] The housing part 15 is in the form of a front face 100 in whichan opening 105 is provided that permits to see the screen 10, at theback of the screen 10 is placed a shield 110. The whole is covered atthe back by a cover 115. The spring system is integral with this part15. A flat flexible conducting cable 120 better known by the name offlex permits electrical connection between the housing part 5 and thehousing part 15. On this cover 115 is provided a guiding system formedby grooves 117 and 118 which will slide over the projections 85 and 86.

[0024]FIG. 4 illustrates the way in which the spring system is madeintegral with the housing part 15. This FIG. 4 shows the cover 115upside down. The system is placed in groove 120. An attachment head 122keeps the system placed against the bottom of this groove.

[0025]FIG. 5 shows how a position detection system can be realized. Thissystem is realized on the basis of a switch 150 soldered onto theprinted circuit 70. This switch has a control pin that passes through anopening 152 provided in the part 60. This pin exceeds a certain heightso that a slide 155 (FIG. 4) provided in the part 115 leaves this pin inposition, but when the slide as a result of the movement from the opento the closed position ends its course, the slide is no longer present,so that the face of the part 115 will press against the pin to changethe state of the switch 150. Thus the electronic part placed on thecircuit 70 which controls the screen 10 will be able to provide theinformation that is suitable for the two screen formats.

[0026]FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of a second embodiment of a devicein accordance with the invention. The first part 205 of the housingcomprises a front surface 206 on which the keys of the keypad 207 areplaced. It is in this front surface that the recess 208 is provided.This first part 205 also comprises a housing body 210 to the back ofwhich is attached a cover 220 which may contain or protect anaccumulator (not shown). To this first part is attached a helical springassembly 225 formed by two springs 230 and 231 of the type that presswith their first end against a first plate 240, which is integral withthis first part 205 of the housing, and press with their second endagainst a second plate 242, which pushes against the second part 250 ofthe housing. An electrical connection part 255 is provided to ensureelectrical connections between these two housing parts 205 and 250. Topart 250 are attached two latches 260 and 261, each formed by a leafspring. These latches cooperate with a lock button 265. Thus theselatches fix two positions for displacing part 250 relative to part 205.The displacement of these two parts is ensured by projections in thesame way as described for the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0027]FIG. 7 shows the operation of this second embodiment. The variousreferences a, b, c and d show the various positions that the first part205 of the housing can take up relative to the second part 250.

[0028] At “a” the device is in closed position. It is maintained in thisposition by the spring 260 which acts on a stop 280 provided in part205. This is shown by the V linked with each of said references. Thisfigure shows in more detail the operation of the springs 260 and 261which cooperate with the stop 280.

[0029] At “b” the button 265 is pressed. A press on this button releasesthe spring from the stop. The spring assembly 225 separates the part 250from part 205. This release of the assembly 225 is clearly visible inthis FIG. 7.

[0030] At “c” this release is stopped by the second latch 261 whichcoincides with the stop 280.

[0031] At “d”, if the button 265 is pressed again, it is possible toseparate the two housing parts 205 and 250.

[0032]FIG. 8 shows the positioning of the latches 260 and 261 relativeto the stop 280 which cooperates with the button 265.

[0033]FIG. 9 shows how the electrical connections are ensured in thissecond embodiment.

[0034] At “a” in this Fig. the two parts 205 and 250 are representedseparated from each other so as to show an assembly of conductors 300which forms tracks arranged on part 205.

[0035] At “b” is shown better how the connection piece 255 performs itsfunction. It is provided with the conductors 290 formed by a bulgingpart intended to make contact with the assembly of conductors 300 and bya side part to ensure the contacts with the housing part 250. For thispurpose, a housing 300 is provided, which has contacts for the electricconnections of the side parts of the conductors 290.

1. An electronic device comprising a housing formed by at least twohousing parts one of which, called screen part, is integral with aretractable screen which may occupy a first position called closedposition and a second position called open position relative to a partcalled fixed part, characterized in that in the position called closedposition, the fixed part partly masks the screen.
 2. An electronicdevice as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said screen part ismounted on projections so as to permit it being displaced.
 3. Anelectronic device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that“hard points” are provided when said screen part is displaced, so thatit can occupy stable positions.
 4. An electronic device as claimed inone of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a guide is providedhaving recesses which are integral with one of said guiding parts inwhich can be accommodated during the displacement a spring system whichis integral with the other part so as to create said “hard points”. 5.An electronic device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that thepositions of the screen between two positions are ensured by latchesthat can be unlocked by a button.
 6. An electronic device as claimed inclaim 5, characterized in that the latches permit to separate the twoparts of the housing.